Bastard_Lunatic:Guy kept out of trouble for 35 years. Kind of torn on this one. If the purpose of prison is rehabilitation what is it going to achieve now?

I might be torn because of the possibility that he has reformed. But he did do a serious crime -- the only thing he could done worse would have been is to have been a murderer. "Sorry" is not enough. And the message needs to be sent: if you rape a woman then you are screwed.

TheMysteriousStranger:Bastard_Lunatic: Guy kept out of trouble for 35 years. Kind of torn on this one. If the purpose of prison is rehabilitation what is it going to achieve now?

I might be torn because of the possibility that he has reformed. But he did do a serious crime -- the only thing he could done worse would have been is to have been a murderer. "Sorry" is not enough. And the message needs to be sent: if you rape a woman then you are screwed.

As others have said, it was rape in that the laws were shiatty and they nailed an 18 year year for sleeping some high school girls, I can't really muster much outrage. In fact it was consensual sex that just got classified as stat rape, I'd say give the guy a pardon assuming he has 32 years of keeping his nose clean because really all his problems stem from shiatty laws. Doubly so with the pardon if other people were released once the state realized the law was stupid, changed it, and handed out parole/early release to everyone they convicted with it.

Whereas if it was violent rape, date rape, or any such thing, off to the jail cell with him.

Jim_Callahan:Bastard_Lunatic: Guy kept out of trouble for 35 years. Kind of torn on this one. If the purpose of prison is rehabilitation what is it going to achieve now?

Well, that's kind of in question now, isn't it? I'd wager that he's a person of interest in several local unsolved crimes now that the connection has been made, statistically "kept out of trouble" and "wanted fugitive" don't have a strong correlation there.

This.This guy raped 3 girls. It's not like he got into a he said she said situation and was convicted of rape. He raped three girls. That is a person who knows what he likes, and what he likes is rape. He wasn't stopping after those girl like he got all of the rape out of his system with them.

On another note, what kind of judge lets a person who is facing decades in prison out before sentencing to get his affairs in order? It wasn't like he was facing a few months or years. What did he think would happen? I wonder if the judge was related to him in some way, a friend of a family member or if this guy's family wasn't well connected.

ongbok:On another note, what kind of judge lets a person who is facing decades in prison out before sentencing to get his affairs in order? It wasn't like he was facing a few months or years. What did he think would happen? I wonder if the judge was related to him in some way, a friend of a family member or if this guy's family wasn't well connected.

Out of curiosity - IANAL - aside from the duties of the legal system, will his victims have any say over the matter? If he hasn't committed any other crimes - leaving that likelihood out for a moment - do their views count? There are no hard and fast rules for how one deals with these things; they mightn't want it all dredged up again.

ACunningPlan:Out of curiosity - IANAL - aside from the duties of the legal system, will his victims have any say over the matter? If he hasn't committed any other crimes - leaving that likelihood out for a moment - do their views count? There are no hard and fast rules for how one deals with these things; they mightn't want it all dredged up again.

He's already convicted. He just needs to be sentenced and incarcerated. The victims can voice opinions on the sentence, but the judge(or sentencing laws) make the decision. This is the same situation as Roman Polanski.

The victims will have an opportunity to make a victim impact statement if the prosecutor can find them. There's little chance of the prosecutor dropping charges because the guy was already convicted. Maybe there was some legal issue at trial that was not a problem 35 years ago but is reversible error now. Then he would deal for a lower sentence in return for waiving appeal. You can't appeal if you flee after sentencing but I'm not sure the so-called "fugitive disentitlement doctrine" would apply to flight before sentencing.

Lost Thought 00:They let a convicted rapist facing life in prison have a week to themselves unsupervised before sentencing? Brilliant!

In their defense, it was 1979. Back then, in Southeastern Massachusetts we were encouraged to go on outings with Catholic priests, accept candy from strangers, throw Jets fans off the back of stadiums, and break other various laws then blame it on a nonexistent minority. If you forgot to blame a minority, the cops would just do it for us. Times were different.

On another note, what kind of judge lets a person who is facing decades in prison out before sentencing to get his affairs in order? It wasn't like he was facing a few months or years. What did he think would happen? I wonder if the judge was related to him in some way, a friend of a family member or if this guy's family wasn't well connected.

Lost Thought 00:They let a convicted rapist facing life in prison have a week to themselves unsupervised before sentencing? Brilliant!

They did that with a guy here in Portland who was about to be sentenced for sex abuse and child porn charges. Judge just had an ankle tracker slapped on him and let him go on his merry way. Of course he cut it off and fled to Mexico.

GORDON:The police in TFA seem awfully cocky about taking 30 years to catch the guy.

It's like, wow, the police really pwned that convicted criminal by letting him live free for half a lifetime.

I have $20 that says they only caught him because he confessed to the wrong person or else the police pulled him over for speeding and couldn't verify his ID. They probably just got lucky and are now calling that "tenacity."

Yanks_RSJ:Killer Cars: So a Boston-area fugitive "flees" to Portland-area Maine, all the while changing only his first name. At least put a few countries of distance between yourself and undergo a sex change or something. Make it interesting, you dull, boring, rapey f*ck.

Had he moved further inland in Maine they never would have found him. That's better than leaving the country, it's like getting in a time machine back to before the crime was even committed.

As someone who lives on the very edge of this nothingness, and yet has a short-ish commute to the Portland area, I concur. My PO box came with my rental. Let THAT sink in for a minute.. Our Post office is the front room of the farmhouse at the corner. I'm the neighborhood arsehole because I dont wave to anything that moves. This shiat is the setting of a Stephen King novel.

Squeebee:Benjamin Orr: Squeebee: He's 52, been on the run for 34 years, so he was 18 years old when he allegedly raped three women in his own home? Was it statutory rape from before the Romeo & Juliet laws?

You should probably read the article again. Maybe parse a few commas or something.

"A convicted rapist from Rockland who fled Massachusetts in 1979 and has spent the last 34 years on the Massachusetts State Police Most Wanted list was captured last night in Gorham, Maine, where he had started a new life under a fake name with a wife, two children, and a granddaughter."

"Massachusetts State Police arrested Gary Alan Irving, 52, "

52 - 34 = 18 last I checked.

Yes you can do math. Now find the part that said he raped 3 girls in his own home.

Mr Rogers is aroused:As someone who lives on the very edge of this nothingness, and yet has a short-ish commute to the Portland area, I concur. My PO box came with my rental. Let THAT sink in for a minute.. Our Post office is the front room of the farmhouse at the corner. I'm the neighborhood arsehole because I dont wave to anything that moves. This shiat is the setting of a Stephen King novel.

/Bet all my neighbors are rapists. The 'purty mouth' kind.

No doubt. The only reason I know is that my grandfather built a house on one of the smaller ponds west of Portland (less than an hour drive) that I've been going to my entire life. The phrase "turn off the paved road" is featured in the driving directions. Same deal with the PO Box, my parents spend the summer up there now, still have to include the post office on their weekly errands.

The victims will have an opportunity to make a victim impact statement if the prosecutor can find them. There's little chance of the prosecutor dropping charges because the guy was already convicted. Maybe there was some legal issue at trial that was not a problem 35 years ago but is reversible error now. Then he would deal for a lower sentence in return for waiving appeal. You can't appeal if you flee after sentencing but I'm not sure the so-called "fugitive disentitlement doctrine" would apply to flight before sentencing.

farklock him up and throw the key awayyou dont think that she has lived in fear that he was out there??

The victims will have an opportunity to make a victim impact statement if the prosecutor can find them. There's little chance of the prosecutor dropping charges because the guy was already convicted. Maybe there was some legal issue at trial that was not a problem 35 years ago but is reversible error now. Then he would deal for a lower sentence in return for waiving appeal. You can't appeal if you flee after sentencing but I'm not sure the so-called "fugitive disentitlement doctrine" would apply to flight before sentencing.

bhcompy:He's already convicted. He just needs to be sentenced and incarcerated. The victims can voice opinions on the sentence, but the judge(or sentencing laws) make the decision. This is the same situation as Roman Polanski.

Benjamin Orr:Squeebee: Benjamin Orr: Squeebee: He's 52, been on the run for 34 years, so he was 18 years old when he allegedly raped three women in his own home? Was it statutory rape from before the Romeo & Juliet laws?

You should probably read the article again. Maybe parse a few commas or something.

"A convicted rapist from Rockland who fled Massachusetts in 1979 and has spent the last 34 years on the Massachusetts State Police Most Wanted list was captured last night in Gorham, Maine, where he had started a new life under a fake name with a wife, two children, and a granddaughter."

"Massachusetts State Police arrested Gary Alan Irving, 52, "

52 - 34 = 18 last I checked.

Yes you can do math. Now find the part that said he raped 3 girls in his own home.

You're being a pain in the donkey about something that was not clear in the article - which is why I went and found the other one.

FARK rebel soldier:Benjamin Orr: Squeebee: Benjamin Orr: Squeebee: He's 52, been on the run for 34 years, so he was 18 years old when he allegedly raped three women in his own home? Was it statutory rape from before the Romeo & Juliet laws?

You should probably read the article again. Maybe parse a few commas or something.

"A convicted rapist from Rockland who fled Massachusetts in 1979 and has spent the last 34 years on the Massachusetts State Police Most Wanted list was captured last night in Gorham, Maine, where he had started a new life under a fake name with a wife, two children, and a granddaughter."

"Massachusetts State Police arrested Gary Alan Irving, 52, "

52 - 34 = 18 last I checked.

Yes you can do math. Now find the part that said he raped 3 girls in his own home.

You're being a pain in the donkey about something that was not clear in the article - which is why I went and found the other one.

The victims will have an opportunity to make a victim impact statement if the prosecutor can find them. There's little chance of the prosecutor dropping charges because the guy was already convicted. Maybe there was some legal issue at trial that was not a problem 35 years ago but is reversible error now. Then he would deal for a lower sentence in return for waiving appeal. You can't appeal if you flee after sentencing but I'm not sure the so-called "fugitive disentitlement doctrine" would apply to flight before sentencing.

farklock him up and throw the key awayyou dont think that she has lived in fear that he was out there??

Well there are three victims. And I agree with you about fear, but also one [maybe more] could have moved away, started over completely & not necessarily shared what happened to her with anyone else. W/o being in her shoes, it's not possible to judge whether she would want it revealed/dragged out etc., etc. That's why I was wondering about the victim[s] pov.

The court proceedings sometimes only offer comfort because the person is locked up and can't [shouldn't] be able to do it again. In terms of what happened on a personal level, locking the guy away doesn't undo what happened and for some it's easier to simply try and leave that behind. Some find talking about it helps, some don't.